In a growing role for unmanned systems in the Sahel insurgency, footage shows Burkina Faso forces using precision drones to repel al-Qaeda-linked motorcycle raiders threatening an army base.
In Burkina Faso’s protracted insurgency, a video circulating on social media appears to show government forces using precision drones to counter an attack by militants linked to al-Qaeda on an army base, highlighting the evolving role of unmanned aerial systems in counter-terrorism operations.
The grainy footage, shared on platforms including X (formerly Twitter) shows what appears to be a swarm of insurgents mounted on motorcycles, a hallmark tactic of groups such as Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimeen (JNIM) and other Salafi-jihadist affiliates operating in the Sahel region of Burkina Faso being struck by armed drones, causing the attackers to disengage.
WATCH: Burkina Faso’s military released footage of Bayraktar UCAV strikes on JNIM terror group, targeting swarms of motorcycles. pic.twitter.com/ZdyNI5gbkD
— Clash Report (@clashreport) February 17, 2026
This incident is set against a wider backdrop of escalating jihadist offensives in the West African country, where al-Qaeda-linked militants have repeatedly targeted military units and convoy routes.
**WATCH: Burkina Faso Battles Terror Propaganda as Traore Faces Fresh Attacks | Firstpost Africa**
In May 2025, JNIM claimed responsibility for a major assault on an army base in the northern province of Loroum, with the group asserting that its fighters killed more than 200 soldiers. The attack involved hundreds of fighters overrunning and destroying parts of the base, although independent verification of casualty figures was not available, according to report.
The video of the recent drone use, while unverified by independent media, reflects the asymmetrical nature of combat in Burkina Faso, where jihadist groups regularly deploy light vehicles such as motorcycles to conduct rapid raids against poorly fortified positions.
Such mobility has allowed insurgents to exploit vast rural terrain in the absence of solid state control, contributing to a decade-long conflict that has repeatedly challenged the junta that seized power in 2022 and claimed it would restore security.
The apparent effectiveness of precision drones against militants in this latest episode highlights how unmanned technology is becoming an important tool in counter-insurgency campaigns across the Sahel, where state forces often struggle to match the agility of non-state armed groups.
Islamic extremist organisations in the region have also experimented with drone technology, both as reconnaissance and as improvised explosive-delivery platforms, adding another tactical dimension to the conflict.
Despite such technological adaptations, Burkina Faso continues to face serious security challenges. Recent coordinated attacks by suspected militants in multiple northern and eastern provinces have left at least 10 soldiers dead in just a few days, according to regional security sources, highlighting the ongoing volatility and the persistent threat posed by jihadist violence.
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